The Pony Express The Wright Beginning....
Promises a Great Future
Holiday Issue Volume 32 Number 3
C. Milton Wright High School 1301 N. Fountain Green Road Bel Air, MD 21015
December 22, 2011
Danielle King Leads the Herd by Ida Ehrhardt
Ms. Molter’s Chinese Experience by Kelly Scott Around 3:00 pm on November 4th, C. Milton Wright’s Mrs. Molter left the United States destined for China. The College Board held the 2011 Chinese Bridge Delegation, “a week-long program in China for educators to start or strengthen their institution’s Chinese programs and partnerships.” Along with Superintendent, Robert Tomback, Edgewood High School’s principal, Larissa Santos and Patterson Mill High School’s principal, Wayne Thibeault, Mrs. Molter arrived in Beijing around 3:00pm on November 4th. The departure and arrival times and dates were the same due to the 13 hour time difference!
One of the main purposes of going to China was the possibility and the exploration of bringing the Mandarin Language into the Harford County Schools’ curriculum. On the first day, they toured Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City where they witnessed 980 buildings with traditional Chinese palatial architecture. Later that day Mrs. Molter conquered the Great Wall of China. There were 800 steps to the actual Wall of China and even with a bad knee and foot, Mrs. Molter “didn’t care if she crawled”. She made it to the top in less than a half hour! The next day the crew attended a banquet where high school students performed for the guests. continued on page 7
On December 9, twelve students and their families traveled to New York City to be recognized as national finalists for the Wendy’s High School HeismanAward.Among those twelve students was C. Milton Wright’s very own Danielle King. The Wendy’s Heisman Award celebrates student’s exceptional records in athletics, academics and community leadership. Danielle had to submit her application by October 3, and she was then chosen as the school’s winner. Each school can nominate one male and one female athlete per year. Danielle and Grant Caspero, CMW’s nominees, were just two of 48,000. The next step in the process is narrowing down the pool of students to the 1,020 state finalists. Twenty students are selected from every state, in addition to the District of Columbia. Each state finalist receives a bronze medal, a Heisman patch, and a
$25 gift certificate to Wendy’s. Danielle was then selected as Maryland’s state winner on November 4, just one student out of 102. State winners receive a silver medal, a $50 gift certificate to Wendy’s, and a Heisman Patch. Finally, on the morning of Tuesday November 15, an unsuspecting Danielle was in the cafeteria for a Field Hockey Banquet. Suddenly, Danielle’s family walked in along with her coaches, a former teacher, and a Wendy’s representative. Ms. Molter stood up, and began to speak about the Wendy’s Heisman award. She announces to the group of people gathered, that Danielle King is Maryland’s state winner of Wendy’s High School Heisman Award. Of course Danielle and her family already knew this. However, what Danielle did not know was that she was also one of twelve. Continued on page 5
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December 22, 2011
Opinion/Commentary
Anti-Texting Law is Fair
Are You Appealing Enough?
by Drew Buckley
by Liz Burgee
On October 1, 2011, Maryland released a new texting law. This law states that if you are behind the wheel of a car, you cannot even glance at a text message. The original law was that you cannot send a text message if you are behind the wheel of a car. If you are caught looking at a text in the drivers seat, you will be issued a $500 fine. Drivers who are caught can choose to plea guilty to their offense and only have to pay a $70 fine plus have one point put on their license. If you are texting and it leads to an accident, the fine will increase. If you accept guilt you will be charged with a $110 fine and three points put on your license. Drivers who are caught texting but want to contest the ticket in court could be charged with a misdemeanor. If someone does take their case to court and are found guilty, they will be charged with a misdemeanor and they will be charged with a $500 fine. These new rules seem harsh but they are fair. There have been too many accidents caused by people looking at and sending texts. Since January of 2010, 28% of metropolitan accidents have been caused by talking or texting on cell phones. 1.4 million crashes annually are caused by people talking on their cell phones.
As if failing a class wasn’t bad enough, finding out that you can’t play a sport is the icing on the cake. That is, unless your reasons for failing the class seemed reasonable enough to be dismissed. So what does it take in order to stand a chance when fighting for an appeal? In all honesty, what does it take in order to be appealing enough for an appeal? Four students here at C. Milton Wright were interviewed who had each fought for an appeal in the last two years. Each was asked about the process they went through in order to plea their case and their reasons for failing the class. The verdicts were then compared to one another. In order to maintain anonymity, students will be identified as Students A,B,C, and D. Student “A” failed an Advanced Placement class. Their reasons for failing included poor test results due to not studying well. While this student admitted to poor studying habits, they stated that they received tutoring assistance. In addition to that, they attempted to drop the class multiple times each quarter. The student also admitted to having their parents call in requesting the class drop. The student was told that
The Pony Express C. Milton Wright High School Student Publication
if they continued to struggle they would be allowed to drop the class. Instead, Student A finished the class with a D, C, E, and D, just passing the class overall and getting a 3 on the AP exam. However, when having to fight for the appeal during the third quarter to play a Spring sport, he was denied. He said he had to write a letter to the school explaining his reasons for failing but was denied the request of the appeal. Student A remarked, “I just don’t think the appeal process is very fair.” Student B on the other hand was given his appeal. This student failed a CP level class and was fighting to try out for winter sport. He said the process he went through included writing a paper explaining his reasons for failing the class. This student admitted to missing the original appointment set up to talk about the appeal due to a doctors appointment. However the letter was read and he was granted the appeal. Student B said he had to drop down from CP to regular level class as he met with a guidance counselor throughout the week. This student’s reasons for failing the class were health and home issues. Student C failed two Honors level classes. This student admits to simply falling behind in the classes. He claims to have always been a good student and decided to challenge himself with harder classes. Student C had to also write a letter to the board at school and then met with Mrs. Mitchell, Paul Perkovitch, Mr. Pawlicki, and another advisor to plead his case. Student C was granted the appeal to play fall sports and quotes “it gave me a reason to
work harder to be successful.” The last student interviewed was Student D who spoke out and said when it came down to the day grades came out, there were no E’s on the report card. While this student had an “E” for a period of time during the quarter, it was brought up before the report cards were distributed. When asked what the reasons were for failing the class initially, Student “D” stated that they missed a lot of school due to family problems. Student “D” was fighting for the appeal in order to try out for a Spring sport, but was told to get assistance in the class instead of taking the field that spring. Do you see any clear distinctions as to what makes receiving an appeal possible? If you said no, chances are others would agree. Many are wondering if the process for appeals is really in the interest of all of the students. What is the criteria for receiving an appeal from the school? Is the Appeals Process standard across the school system or even the school itself? It doesn’t appear so based on the few interviews represented in this article. More investigation into this issue is warranted.
Right of Reply If you would like an opportunity to respond to the opinions or viewpoints expressed within these editorial pages, please do not hesitate to submit “Letters to the Editor” in the Pony Express mailbox in the main office. Only signed letters will be accepted and they cannot contain any vulgarity. Publication of your letter is not guaranteed, but will be considered.
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December 22, 2011
Opinion/Commentary Money Doesn’t Buy Happiness by Kayli Offutt
Best 4 Years of Your Life? by Allie Harrington Generations from the past constantly remind contemporary students of just how “lucky” they are. Parents frequently speak of how less fortunate times were when they were this age. However, was it really that way? Maybe in the last generation life was much tougher outside of high school because it was less common to attend college and obtain a solid career. In retrospect, that generation now sees high school as the most care fee and fun time of their lives. Presently, Advanced Placement classes and obligated college responsibilities could be to blame for a less enjoyable high school career. It has become a social norm, especially within the past two decades, for students leaving high school to attend college. This norm could be to blame for the two million Advanced Placement tests taken each year as of 2006. Statistically only 23% of students presently graduating high school are ready for college. According to slideshare.net, of those that attend an average state college, only 33% gradu-
ate with a Bachelor’s degree. This worsens the stress of students today. There is more expected of them as society develops but less success because of competition. From a contemporary student’s perspective, they feel the intense pressure to succeed but are aware of the slim chance they have to do so. Also, students now have to worry about the massively increased tuitions of colleges. When all of these aspects of modern high school life are compiled, it is evident that the stress level is much higher than in past gener-
Although it might make sense that extravagant expenses are more prevalent in summer, students may be suffering extreme financial differently well-into the school year. Individuals might find themselves struggling to keep money many students stock up on hours and extra shifts at their jobs to compensate for gas, car payments, insurance, and other essential expenses, money remains tight for some. Perhaps raising gas prices are to blame, or even rising reliability on fast food and eating out for meals. Because it is getting cold, people additionally need money to invest in thick jackets, shirts, pants, and shoes--all of which have prices that can get pretty high. So what can people do? Aside from getting a job and potentially having little free time, students should set up a remote budget for themselves in order to have more money for things of essential importance; it is a good idea to save up for something big, and ultimately not splurge on things of little consequence.
Limiting the amount of times per week that one eats out is a good idea, as food prices can get expensive, and there is no harm in eating at home multiple times per week. To invest in quality winter clothing without burning a hole in their wallets, individuals can thrift. Good Will has thick sweaters at cheap prices, and because very Saturday certain clothing items are half-priced, one can essentially get all their winter wardrobe essentials without blowing an entire paycheck. Additionally, consignment shops are a great way to either get money for one’s unwanted clothes or get new clothes or get new clothes in replacement for virtually no money. While one is going through their closet, they can pick out old clothes and think of new ways to style them so they are winter appropriate. Layering shirts and jackets is easy, and making scarves out of unwanted shirts also ensures warmth. Rather than stress about how one is going to pay for their school lunch or afford school dance expenses, students can learn how to budget their money without greatly inconveniencing their lives.
Freedom to Celebrate Your Holiday by Elena Pettiford A lot of things pertaining to the Christmas and the Christian faith are being banned or censored. Is this really the way to respect others? Notice that the Christmas tree in the lobby of this school, and every other school in Harford County, doesn’t have a star on top. It used to have a star. However, it has been taken down due to
consideration of others and their faith. Having a star at the top of a Christmas Tree is something that is done traditionally. It’s not necessarily an indication of a particular faith. A much more simple solution to respecting the religions of others would be for schools to teach about more religions and their religious holidays. Education is the key to stopping ignorance. Being aware of
other cultures and religions prevents discrimination and in much more respectful to those cultures and religion. Instead of banning the representations of religion and others’ beliefs, schools should educate students about traditions and beliefs that they will come into contact with throughout their lives in the United States of America. We are the “melting pot” of cultures and their beliefs.
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December 22, 2011
Features - Academic
Salisbury University is a Popular Choice by Carlie Addicks Located in Salisbury, Maryland, Salisbury University was founded in 1925. Salisbury is a smaller school with only 7,706 students in total. The school is a four-year, public, Liberal Arts College In-state students make up 83% of the school’s student population. The in-state tuition per year for Salisbury is $16,018. Salisbury offers 42 undergraduate programs, 14 graduate programs, and 4 post baccalaureate programs. The average
5 Ways to Relieve Stress * Dream Big: set longterm goals to stay motivated * Dream Small: establish short-term goals to stay productive each day * Find things that make oneself happy * Don’t “grow up” too soon. It’s alright to be a kid * Smile: release endorphins and be liked
size is 24 students. return their sophomore year is 81%. Unlike many colleges, If one is planning to apply to Salisbury University, it should be Salisbury allows first-time first-year taken into account that there is an ap- students are allowed to have a car. plication fee of $45 for both regular applications and online applications. A few of the top things the university looks for in a students application are, extracurricular activities, rigor of secondary school record, talent/ability, and academic GPA. Some other important factors considered in an applications are, alumni relation, class rank, geographical residence, standardized test scores, and volunteer work. Of all applicants, 53% are accepted to Salisbury University. The percent of students who
“Major” Majors
class
*Biology *Communicartion Arts *Nursing *Elementary Education *Psychology *Exercise Science *Business Administration *Accounting
Pathway Not My Way by Shanel Williams Harford County Public Schools are required to have the students choose a pathway, which has a collection of classes pertaining to each pathway that you choose. The pathway is to help students find out what they would or wouldn’t be good at and what they could possibly major in if they went to college. Even though the pathway is designed to help students figure out what their strengths and weaknesses are, the pathway shouldn’t be required because there are a number of students that don’t know what their strengths and weaknesses are and they don’t know what they would like to do after high school. Since there isn’t much room for students
to switch routes if they choose one they don’t like it shows that it for it to be an option rather than a requirement. The pathway shouldn’t required but rather there as an option for the students that want it, since there are a number of students that don’t know what they want , the pathway doesn’t fit with what they want to do, or they just don’t want to follow a route. Students need to find out their strengths prior to finding classes to fill their schedule. The best thing for students to do if they don’t know what to do is to talk to their guidance counselor about the options that they have. That is the best choice because the guidance counselor is there to help you figure out your future and plan ahead so you can get off on the right
foot. Even though the pathway is to help students figure out what they would be good at, but it should rather be and option and let students with individual routes do what they want to. The students should first focus on getting all the credits they need to graduate. All the classes they are required to take should prepare them for college even if they don’t plan on going to college, so that if they change their mind, they wouldn’t have to worry about it. Students should focus on junior year for which colleges they want to go to and focus on their schedules to add classes that would build up their chances to get accepted into the college that they want or be ready to go to college if they want to.
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December 22, 2011
Features - General
Wendy’s Heisman Finalist Goes to New York City continued from front page by Ida Earhardt She showed her surprise on Tuesday morning when it was publicly announced to her in front of her teachers, family, teammates, and fellow students. Danielle admits to feeling “proud and amazed. I knew about being the state winner, but had no idea about this.” Danielle was shadowed at school on Tuesday, November 15, by ESPN. Several of her teachers and family members were interviewed for the national telecast. There are twelve National Finalists every year: six male, and six female. These twelve students each receive a $100 Wendy’s gift certificate, a gold medal, a Heis-
man patch, a $2,000 award donated to the winners’ high schools in the students’ names, and an invitation to the Wendy’s High School Heisman Program Heisman Memorial Trophy We e k e n d , December 9-11, 2011 in New York City. The prep ceremony was televised on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. on Dec. 18. There are two winners, Garrett Gosse and Selena Pasadyn. Each winner will receive a $500 gift certificate to Wendy’s, a
Heisman patch, national honor and recognition during ESPN’s national telecast of the college Heisman Memorial Trophy presentation, $10,000 dollars donated to their high school in the winners name, and the Wendy’s High School Heisman Trophy. The trophy was presented by Archie Griffin, the only two-time Heisman award winner. On Thursday, December 8, around 10:30 am, Danielle and her family left for New York City. “It was like first class everything,” she said. The high schoolers were treated like stars the whole weekend. They were able
to meet Archie Griffin. Also, Danielle was present at the “real” Heisman ceremony and was even able to vote on who she wanted to win. After the ceremony, Danielle was able to meet and talk to the Heisman trophy nominees and even has an autographed football to commemorate her evening with the college athletes. Robert Griffin III of Baylor was the college football player who took home the Heisman Trophy. Danielle is a Field Hockey and Swimming standout, with outstanding grades and an excellent work ethic. Wendy’s High School Heisman Award is a huge honor, and Danielle King has made C. Milton Wright proud.
The Search for the “Real” Santa
by Hope Vergauwen
Everyone knows that Santa sends down his helpers while he’s busy making toys up at the North Pole. Around the holiday season, Harford Mall, Towson Town Center, and White Marsh Mall welcome Santa Clause. This year, rumor has it, the real Santa has come to town.
First
stop,
Towson Town Center. Due to the fact that Towson Town Center is so huge, it took a while to locate Santa. Once jolly, old St. Nicholas was found, it was noted that the set-up for his display was more traditional than original. There was the red carpet and the giant Santa throne. The only thing that was eye-catching were the twinkling lights that hung from the ceiling above Santa’s chair. Next stop, White Marsh Mall. There was Santa who had a welcoming smile across his face, sitting in his chair, shaped like a gift box. Behind the gift box chair was a huge house that looked like it belonged at the North Pole. Cheerful Christ-
mas music played in the background the entire time. After the kids sat on Santa’s lap and told him what they wanted for Christmas, they were given candy and a coloring book. Last but not least, Bel Air’s very own, Harford Mall. It was another traditional display with red carpet and large, comfy chair. It’s rumored that this Santa even knew all the little boys’ and girls’ names. Who doesn’t love a little tradition around the holidays? So who is the “real” Santa? It was a toss up between White Marsh Mall and Harford Mall. White Marsh Mall has a more original set up filled with fun for all the good boys and girls. However, Harford Mall
was traditional, as some people believe the holidays should be. At the end our long search for the real Santa Clause, the decision had been made. Everyone has their own opinions whether they prefer traditional or original. It was a tie between White Marsh Mall, with their originality and Harford Mall with all the tradition it brings around the holiday season.
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The Pony Express
December 22, 2011
Features - Holidays
‘Tis the Season to Be Safe
by Michelle Roig
Iconic Holiday Images: New York City’s Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree and Times Square New Year’s “dropping of the ball”.
New Year’s Traditions Around the Globe by Kaelyn Thornton New Year’s Eve is a time for celebration and happiness. It marks the beginning of a new year with fresh starts. To properly celebrate this holiday, people have adopted traditions. These traditions, while sometimes strange, are a big part of the holiday. They can symbolize many things, but mostly good luck and joy. Mexico celebrates with special traditions of their own. People end the year by swallowing a grape with each of the twelve chimes of the bell during the midnight countdown, while making a wish with each one. In England, all eyes are on the giant clock tower known as “Big Ben” in the Palace of Westminster. People gather round and closely watch the hands of the clock until it hits midnight. Estonia also has their
unique traditions. People will often eat seven, nine or twelve times on New Year’s Eve because those are lucky numbers in Estonia. It is believed that for each meal eaten, the person gains the strength of that many men the following year. One of the most well known traditions here in America is the “ball dropping” above Times Square in New York City. The ball is 11,875 pounds and 12 feet in diameter. At 11:59 p.m., everyone begins counting down from 60 seconds. At the end of the 60 seconds, the ball drops and it is officially the new year. All around the world, late night parties and fireworks are common New Year’s Eve traditions. Countries and cultures all have different traditions. From eating certain foods to performing certain rituals, everybody is different. Regardless of different traditions, New Year’s Eve is a time of renewal for everyone to come together as one.
“A lot of people become focused on other things when they are out shopping, and it is easy for your attention to wander when you are trying to find gifts for friends and family. Try to shop with a friend or in a group and help keep each other alert to your surroundings,” said Chief Travis McGrady of the Lincoln police. Here are the most important guidelines to follow while shopping during the holidays: -Try shopping during the day; if you decide to shop at night, bring someone with you. -Dress casually or comfortable incase you need to make a quick get away. -Be sure to always be alert, even if the surroundings are rushed and hectic. -Avoid carrying large amounts of cash, instead pay with a credit card when it’s possible. -If carrying cash, keep in in the front pocket of jeans. -Prime targets of robbers are those with purses. -Avoid overloading yourself with shopping bags. Emptying some into the car between stores is always an option. -Beware of any strangers approaching you for any reasons. Many people don’t know how to handle a situation when they are leaving the mall or individual places of shopping. Whether by foot or in a car, people are at risk of being robbed or hurt.
Most people think that just because they’re in their car, they are safe. Unfortunately, if they have a trunk load of expensive goodies and a robber notices, that thief will go to all lengths to get the products. Even if it means following the vehicle for miles. If followed by a vehicle: -Execute several right turns in order to verify being followed. -Get and stay on arterial (high capasity road) streets. -Note and record the license plate number and the description of the vehicle and its occupants. Commonly, a less enthused robber will only follow a helpless walking shopper. -Cross the street multiple times. -Vary your walking pace. -Change your direction. -Don’t let your guard down at any time. Staying cautious while shopping can often turn into a job in itself. It’s always better to be safe rather than sorry, so always consider the possibility that something could go wrong.
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The Pony Express
December 22, 2011
Features - Big News
Trip to China Brings New Insight and Possible Changes to School Offerings continued from front page by Kelly Scott After an exciting first two days, Mrs. Molter and the rest of the group traveled to the Tai’an Shandong province near Mount Tai, where Confucius was born. They observed several typical Chinese schools. The first school they observed was residential. The students lived there full time, beginning at age 7. The next school they went to was the Taishan Medical University. This school had a total of 6,000 students. They observed a math class with 64 students in it.At this school the students had all their books neatly organized on their desk and the teachers were the ones who switched classrooms. Mrs. Molter explained that there is one exam at the end of high school for all students. Very few pass and the few that do pass are the only students allowed to attend Chinese universities. Many that don’t pass the exam, come to Amer-
ica and attend American colleges. The Beijing Royal School held a grand farewell dinner for all of the district and school leaders from the United States that took part in the week long program. After the dinner, a talent show was put on by the students. One group of students performed “21 Guns” by the American band, Green Day. This was the farthest Mrs. Molter has ever traveled and it was definitely a culture shock. An interesting cultural adjustment were the non-western toilets which were a simple hole in the floor. However, Mrs. Molter said that most of the places that they visited, had regular toilets.
The food was sometimes disconcerting to eat because so much of it still had eyes. There was no breakfast, lunch and dinner, with a variety of meal specific items. Instead, o n e would eat the same foods for each of the meals. The most challenging thing Ms. Molter ate was the heart of a chicken. She ate most of what she could “they were such kind people, I wanted to respect them”. Mrs. Molter said it was important for her to respect their culture because if they visited the United States she would hope
Harford County Schools Delegation to China Pictured in all three pictures: Ms. Molter, Mr. Tomback, Ms. Santos, and Mr. Thibeault.
they would respect ours in return. “Imagine a group of people from another country watching us eat Maryland crabs. What we consider an expensive delicacy, they might view as a barbaric display of flying body parts.” The intent of the trip was for American principals to view the Chinese school system and perhaps have a better understanding of how American schools could benefit from teaching the Mandarin language in public schools. The educational outcome of the trip will remain to be seen in the upcoming years. For now, Ms. Molter will continue to present her findings of the Chinese experience with other members of the Harford County School system. When asked if she felt that it was a meaningful trip, Ms. Molter commented that “it was the experience of a lifetime that I will never forget.” Welcome back to the United States Ms. Molter.
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Autumn Highlights Photos courtesy of CMW Photography Club
December 22, 2011
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Autumn Highlights
December 22, 2011
The Pony Express
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December 22, 2011
Mustang Sports and Athletics
Cheerleading
Swimming Makes Strides
by Matt Combs During football and basketball season, there’s a group of Mustangs that pushes teams to victory with their enthusiasm and spirit. They are the Mustang cheerleading squad. Led by Mrs. Adams, the cheerleading squad has already competed in two invitations and fall county tournaments, placing 4th overall. Cheerleaders who make the winter squad will have two upcoming invitations and winter counties in January to compete in. “The girls work really well together and there’s a lot of young [girls with] talent [and] only three seniors,” Mrs. Adams acknowledges. Since this year’s cheerleading squad has much talent, Mrs. Adams commented that “a lot of girls are being paired with mentors to show them the ropes.” Mrs. Adams hopes for the winter cheerleading squad to be “flawless with no deductions”. Cheerleading has a double season which means the squad participates in both fall and winter sports. When it comes to the routine, the biggest challenge is “having to try to keep it fresh and new...since a majority of the girls are on both fall and winter cheerleading squads.” Cheerleading still has the second half of their season to go and Mrs. Adams stated that expectations for the winter season were “to place in top three in invitations and make regionals.”. Cheerleading has high expectations from their placings in counties. With the spirit of these inspiring girls, it is possible for the squad to not only meet these goals but exceed expectations for the remainder of the season.
by Matt Combs
Although summer is over, one team in C. Milton Wright still gets to enjoy the pool: the swimming team. CMW’s swimming team is preparing to embark on its fourth consecutive UCBAC championship. The team is also preparing to put its two year undefeated streak back on the line. Ida Ehrhardt, a junior swimmer, believes that the team is composed of “really strong girls and boys [groups].” Ida expressed intentions to “hopefully win county championships again and possibly states.” C. Milton’s swimming
Boys and Girls Basketball by Stephen Chott The boys and girls Mustang basketball teams have had strong seasons in the past couple of years, but things are looking different for this season with new players and new coaches. For the boys basketball team, it will be John Stephanides taking over. For the girls, it will be Marvin Evans. Both are new coaches and neither teach at CMW. The boys basketball season season starts with two scrimmiges against Hereford and Eastern Tech before the regular season starts December 7th against rival Bel Air at home. The Mustangs have a bit of a travel for their next three games
which are at Glenelg Country, Overlea and Loyola Blakefield. They have started the season with a win over Bel Air and a loss to Glenag County, leaving them 1-1. The Mustangs face an overall tough schedule and after Loyola all games are in county. The Mustang girls are in a similar situation. They also have a new coach, Coach Evans. The Mustangs have a scrimmage against North East and Eastern Tech before starting the season on the road against Joppatowne. The lady Mustangs face a tough schedule and play out of county against Towson, Perryville, and Bohemia Manor twice. Both Mustang teams will face new challenges in 2011, with new coaches and new players.
team has been storming down the road to perfection with two consecutive undefeated seasons intact. Ida commented that “[the pressure is] really exciting and [the team] hopes to keep it up.” Ida’s main point was that the team “doesn’t want to ruin the streak.” Perfection doesn’t seem to be affecting Mustang swimmer mindsets. CMW swimming has experienced a head coaching change from Terri Dunnigan to Cathy Bendis. The swimming team has always had a difficult schedule ahead of them to defend their county title. Of all of their opponents, Ida believes that Fallston and North Harford will be the most challenging to face. Swimming season for seniors is one last chance for Mustangs to excel in the pool for school. High School Heisman finalist Danielle King, a senior swimmer for the team, has good memories from her years on the team. “It’s good we’ve won counties since I’ve been a freshman,” she comments, “hopefully we can finish strong for a last season.” For aspiring swimmers and the teammates she will leave behind, Danielle advises that “when you’re at practice, never complain because you’ll find the ending results [rewarding] when it’s all said and done.” Overall, swimming has three main goals for this season: to place at counties, states, and maintain their undefeated streak. It can all be achieved by takingone step at a time through their season.
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December 22, 2011
Mustang Sports and Athletics
Fall Sports Review by Stephen Chott The Mustangs gave their all and many of the teams went on to the postseason during the fall sports season. Unfortunately, the football team had another disappointing season with a final record of 2-8. The Mustangs had injury problems all season and fell into a slump in the second half of the season, losing their last 7 consecutive games after winning only two of their first three games. The C. Milton boys soccer team had a very strong season and dominated the UCBAC. They finished the season with an undefeated record in the conference and won the UCBAC championship against Havre de Grace. The first game in the 3A North Region was against Franklin and the Mustangs season ended right there with a 1-0 loss. The Mustang girls soccer team has also had a strong season and, like the boys team, they went undefeated in the UCBAC conference and won the conference championship. The Mustangs have charged through the playoffs so far and came out the winner of the 3A North Region. The Mustangs won a tough game with Eastern Tech and won 10 off a goal by Katie Burgee. The team’s season ended in the state semifinals against Urbana, 1-0. Continuing the success of CMW fall sports teams, the girls volleyball team has had a strong season that transitioned into the playoffs.
Though they lost the UCBAC championship to Fallston, the girls volleyball team has found themselves in the North Region final against Towson after impressive wins against Aberdeen and City. The boys varsity volleyball team also was impressive this season. In the Harford County Boys Volleyball championship at CMW, the Mustangs made it to the finals before being beaten by Havre de Grace, who remained undefeated on the season. The field hockey team had a very good season and entered the 3A North region playoffs with high hopes. In their first game against North Harford, the Mustangs fell short 2-1, ending their season. The Cross Country team has seen much success through the season. In the UCBAC Championships, the Mustangs saw strong finishes by Matt Hoerr and Dan Fleming in the 3 mile mens run and Miriam Silton in the womens. Hoerr and Silton, along with O’Neill, also contributed impressive finishes in the 3A North regional championships in the top 10 finishes bracket. Next up for the Mustangs Cross country team is the Maryland State Championships. Overall, the fall sports season has been good for teams at C. Milton Wright. Most of the teams have seen much success and some are seeing more in the playoffs. The hard work put in over the summer for the fall teams has paid off and hopefully similar results will be seen by the winter sports teams.
Time to Hit the Mats
by Stephen Chott
With the fall sports over, the winter sports season is getting ready to start and the wrestling team is preparing for the new season. After finishing the 2010 season with a 5-12 record, the outlook for this season is positive and the Mustangs are ready and excited for the new year. The Mustangs are a young team in 2011 with only three returning starters: Mike Zito in the 120 pound weight class, Elliot Creamer in 126 pounds and Doug Thier in the 170 pound class. With only three returning starters, the Mustangs may seem young and unprepared but Coach Zacharda says they are “well rounded” and that he is confident they will be successful. The team starts their season with the rodeo tournament at Harford Tech, who is one of the top teams in the UCBAC conference this season. The Mustangs have away matches at Perryville and Parkville before
they return for their first home match against North Harford on December 14th. Other home matches include Rising Sun on December 16th, the Iron Horse tournament on January 6th and 7th, January 18th against Joppatowne and January 25th against Havre de Grace, which is senior night. The Mustangs wrestling team fought hard, but lost their first match to Perryville. Even with the young team, coach Zacharda says “the motivation of the wrestlers is outstanding” and that he believes several will place in the county tournament and move on to regionals.
The Pony Express
Page 12
December 22, 2011
Fall Senior Athletes
Senior Football players: Matt Brown, Josh Cimino, Earl Hedgmon, Julien Kirnes, Brian Rice, Ty Rochester, Alex Sanford, Brendan Magistro, and Josh Lipka.
Senior Volleyball players: Chris Panzeri and Jon Heagerty.
Senior Golf players: Jake Fidler, Shane Harper, Joe Nosek, and Tyler Cross.
Senior Cross Country runners: Caitlyn Starkey, Ashley Gereli, Allie Harrington, Amanda Feinberg, Liz D’agostaro, Meaghan Lynn, Sarah Palmer, Emily Smith, Kaitlyn McCabe, Stephanie Bower, and Danielle Greene.
Senior Soccer players: Kelly Kapus, Brittany Haber, and Jess Canami.
Senior Field Hockey players: Julia DiCara, Sarah Nolan, Charlee Lanphear, Daniel King, Jenna Booth, and Taylor Weidner
Senior Cross Country runners: Josh Addicks, Garrett Anthony, Kyle Berger, Ben Capozzoli, Cameron Cloonan, Jason Jones, Max Matthai, Mike Natoli, Dan Otradovec, and Dan Sweetser.
Senior Soccer players: Dan Kissner, Brandon McFadden, Reed Roberts, Matt Madeira, and Grant Caspero.
Senior Girl’s Volleyball players: Megan Amoriello, Jess Lucas, Brianna Karukas, and Megan Badovinac